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You can make it use a different search engine, but that's about it. Oh, and the update that made it possible also brought a google-only circle to search gesture to older Pixels - ~~if you switch search provider, that gesture won't be available~~. Edit: it worked like that on release, but apparently has been fixed since. Now circle to search works (using Google) no matter what search provider you use for the search bar.
I mean, to be fair, I don't think it's up to Google to create an image search feature for DDG or someone else on their phones
If Microsoft got busted for giving Internet Explorer special APIs not available to other programs (which made it the best browser on Windows because of its tight integration that could not be replicated by the competition), then what business does Google have doing pretty much the same thing here?
It doesn't appear like there's any way for other search providers to hijack your nav pill and randomly pop up their own UI when you hold it, so why should Google?
Very good point. Thank you for the alternative perspective
It doesn't seem to have been rolled out in Canada. I don't see the setting.
Apparently it's an EU thing due to the recent DMA changes
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-pixel-launcher-change-default-search-engine/
I have default search changed to DDG but if I use circle to search it will use Google search... I'm fine with that though.
Oh, I tried it now and it really works. I still have mixed feelings about it, but that's definitely an improvement over how it worked at release.